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Trout Fishing

By Diana Rogers

California has wonderful places with many streams flowing through the mountains that are stocked regularly with fish. The trout prefers cold, clean water with high oxygen content. It is therefore commonly found in mountain streams and in unpolluted rivers. Although you can find German Brown here in Southern California, I’ll admit that I haven’t seen the Cutthroat Trout in our neck of the woods. Rainbow Trout is the main one that they stock in California. Now the California Golden Trout is the only native trout and lives in the high mountain lakes and streams.

The trout have two dorsal fins, straight tail, spotted body and scales. Its color varies according to the environment: a river trout is more brightly colored than one that lives in a lake. Brown trout, for example show a variation in markings and background tone.

This is a very agile fish, capable of swimming speeds of 6-12 mph, and is the fastest swimmer among freshwater fish. Trout are most active when the water temperature is between 41 and 50 degrees. If the temperature rises above this level, trout become inactive. I remember one time seeing an average size fish zipping by so fast that I wasn’t all surprised by his speed considering he had all that space.

Trout prefer to live alone and defend territory. They feed upon quite minnows, insects and larvae. Indeed, I have seen them devour smaller or less agile trout, too. Small insects flying close to the water surface are also eaten frequently. When trout eat insects in this way, they are said to be “on the rise” and if you watch carefully you will be able to see them doing this in the river.

The spawning season is at the beginning of winter. At this time, trout seek out colder stretches of water with higher oxygen content. Each female sets off to lay her eggs, followed by a number of males; makes sense. Egg laying takes place at night and the eggs are not laid all in one batch; instead they are laid in small numbers in different places. It’s amazing that a trout weighing just over 2 lb. can lay 2,000 eggs in this way and then the males come along and fertilizes them.

The period of incubation of the eggs is usually quite long and depends upon the water temperature, taking 1 1/2 months in water at 41 degrees. The fry are 1/2 to 1 inch long when they hatch. The small trout feed on plankton and grow at a rate of about 1/2 inch a month. Their rate of growth is really quite slow.

Consequently, growth becomes even slower. In mountain lakes, some specimens may live up to 5 years, eventually reaching a length of 3 feet and a weight of 33 lb.

Fish farms breed a less demanding trout species because the rainbow trout grow more rapidly. They reach a weight of 1 1/2 lb by two years of age and are then suitable for sale. One of the coolest places to visit is the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery. I’ve also learned of a fish farm in Russia as well but I’ve never been.

In fast broken streams, trout shelter in the deep pools behind the boulders. They have to move rapidly to catch food items as they are swept past at speed. The roll cast will prevent the fly tangling with the bank side vegetation. Our son is a great fly fisherman. I use power bait, sometimes I use salmon eggs and just cast off the side of the small river bank that is not fast moving. I have always loved fishing whether it is fresh or ocean fishing.

Keep in mind that some places are catch and release and of course having a fishing license is essential. Overall, catching your limit and being outdoors, I would say that trout fishing is a wonderful way to pass the day! With the right rod and spinning wheel, you’re all set.

Now I know you’re all wondering if I bait my own hook, touch the fish, clean it myself, cook it and eat it, too? The answer is “yes.” I know that trout are very “bony” but they are pretty tasty. More importantly, I think it’s that they put up a real good fight when caught with a hook and line. I’d love to hear your fish story, especially about the one that got away!

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I'm not a fisherwoman -- I have fished a bit in the past but never for trout. I can't bring myself to kill anything. I like to pretend that the fish and meat I eat materialized in the grocery store from thin air.

That's cute June and I know what you mean. I was like that at first but then I decided what's the difference if I kill the fish or someone else does in the store and I buy it from them? I love to eat ocean fish, especially lobster, scallops and durado, but that's another inel. Thanks for the chat!:)

The beauty with trout fishing is that you can release them back unharmed.
Fishing is about conservation too!

Yes, so true... appreciate the visit Dr., thanks!

The colors of the California Golden Trout were very surprising and quite beautiful.

I would love to hear of the colorful fish in your area someday Andrew, thanks.

Thank you for sharing this interesting story, Diana. It brings back the memory of a trout fishing scene that I was part of as a 9 year old. My father and his friend decided to take my brother and I fishing in the mountain stream near our home in the White Mountains of N.H. No one had a licence. We walked up and back on this stream for probably two hours. When we got back home and cleaned the brook trout, we had over a hundred fish. Some were under the size limit and of course the total catch was above the limit. What a feed!!
Thanks for the memory.
Best wishes.
Frederick

Wow, over 100 fish, what a feast for the eyes and no license! Why you poachers... Just kidding. Thanks Frederick.

Hello Lady Di:
Though, as a lifelong trout angler, I enjoyed your interesting intel, a couple of gaffes must be pointed out. Pecadillos,perhaps: trout do not really have two dorsal fins. the tiny fin behind the dorsal is called the adipose fin. Furthermore, Rainbows spawn in the spring.
Most flyfishermen avidly support catch-and-release, as Lee Wulff (one of the most respected anglers of all time) said
"A trout is too valuable to catch but once."
Keep your rod tip high,
John

Thanks John for your professional tips. Around here the local stocked lakes have a limit of 5 trout and most people don't release them because they're stocked regularly. I'm sure where areas of fly fishing is done, there's less emphasis on taking the fish home. Thanks for the chat! :)

Good for you! Fishing was a lot more simple years back when one did not need all sorts of licenses and knowledge about the rules. Nevertheless I had planned to go fishing for rainbow trout in a lake in Wyoming this summer, but the weather turned too hot all of a sudden, so we did something else.

Hubby and son love the 4:00 a.m. getting-ready-to-fish preparations. More and more I choose to sleep in! :) I would love to see wide open skies in Wyoming someday. Thanks Janet.

Most east coast anglers do not realize that California has some of the best trout fishing to offer within the states. I have been watching "Wild Justice" a TV documentary on the lives and daily routine of the California Fish & Game dept. It has open my eyes to what California has to offer in relation to outdoor recreation.

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